Marble Mountains recognised as national special relic

Kim Son Mountain, the largest of the Marble Mountains in Da Nang. The site was recognised as a National Special Relic. (Source: VNA0

Da Nang (VNA) - Ngu Hanh Son (Marble Mountains) landscape site in the
central city of Da Nang has been recognised as a national Special Relic, one of
the 16 approved by the Prime Minister recently.

Director of the city’s Department of Culture and
Sports Huynh Van Hung said the mountains were among the most visited sites in Da
Nang and the city’s second national special relic after Dien Hai citadel was
recognised last year.

He said the recognition will help the city
invest more funds in preserving historical sites, cultural relics and ancient
buildings.

The site, which features five mountains by a pristine beach in Ngu Hanh
Son district, was first recognised as a national historical and cultural relic
in 1990.

The landscape, which covers 2.2sq.km, was given
the name Ngu Hanh Son, or Non Nuoc, by King Minh Mang under the Nguyen Dynasty
in 1837.

According to archaeologists, the complex of
marble mountains were formerly islands. The beach they sit on ranges from Son
Tra peninsula to Non Nuoc beach.

Rainwater and weather gradually turned the five
mountains into different shades of white, pink, red, blue and brown, and formed
caves with beautiful stalactites.

Over time, pagodas were built in the caves and a
stone sculpture village emerged.

Thuy Son Mountain stands 160 metres tall on an
area of 15 hectares. Its caves and stalactite formations are the most visited
feature of the complex.

Kim Son Mountain, the largest of
the Marble Mountains, hosts the annual Quan The Am (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva) Festival –
one of the 15 largest events in Vietnam –
at the Da and Quan The Am pagodas on the 19th day of the second lunar month.
The festival draws around 10,000 residents and tourists each year.

The 400-year-old Non Nuoc stone sculpture
village at the foot of the Marble Mountains was also recognised as a national
intangible heritage. The complex hosted 1.5 million tourists in 2018.

According to the cultural heritage department
under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, a total of 106 relics have
received national special relic status.

Da Nang has included 50 historical sites and 18
national historical monuments in its restoration project for 2016-2020.-VNA